Several of the world’s finest Street Fighter 6 players swiftly transitioned from their participation in the game’s largest tournament to an exclusive event, journeying to Saudi Arabia to take part in the Gamers8 SF6 Invitational over the weekend.
In this prestigious competition, Kakeru, among other renowned players, achieved an impressive feat by securing a remarkable $1 million victory against Evo Champion AngryBird, marking a sweet revenge set and ultimately clinching the championship title.
Journey to the Final
From August 10 to 13, Riyadh showcased top-tier SF6 action through a three-day group stage, culminating in a highly competitive playoff phase. The playoffs featured a notable rematch from Evo 2023’s lower bracket final between MenaRD and Punk, with MenaRD emerging victorious with a 3-0 score.
Despite the intense contest, the tournament’s final four contenders included Punk’s vengeance with a close 3-2 win over MenaRD, Big Bird’s impressive performance in his home region, and Kakeru’s encounter with AngryBird, initially leading to a 0-3 defeat.
Following a challenging defeat on a significant platform, Kakeru approached his matchup against Punk with determination, aiming to swiftly adapt his strategy to counter the tactics employed by other top players. After trailing 0-2 against Punk’s dominant Cammy play, Kakeru strategically altered his approach, orchestrating a remarkable reversal to claim a 3-0 victory. This stunning comeback included a series of flawlessly timed wins, featuring multiple Perfect K.O.s.
The Grand Final
In the grand finals rematch against AngryBird, Kakeru initially faced pressure but quickly shifted the momentum in his favor. Securing six consecutive sets, Kakeru showcased his adaptive prowess in real-time, notably highlighted by a dazzling sequence of 32 perfect parries executed by the Japanese star during the finals. Kakeru emphasized that his success was grounded in his ability to adapt, opting for a new strategy after recognizing the ineffectiveness of previous approaches.
Reflecting on his triumph, Kakeru remarked, “The previous strategies weren’t yielding results, and I needed a way to overcome AngryBird. This time, I focused on parrying and strived to execute it flawlessly every time. It paid off!” Kakeru’s performance underscored the potency of parrying as a strategic tool when executed with precision, potentially prompting fellow players to invest more effort into mastering this technique.
Kakeru’s victory not only marked a rebound from his disappointing exit at Evo 2023 but also secured him a substantial $400,000 prize from the largest SF6 prize pool in history. This triumph propelled him into the ranks of the top 10 highest-earning fighting game players of all time after just three events in his SF6 career. Even in defeat, AngryBird displayed sportsmanship, acknowledging the impressive display of SF6 skills and taking home $200,000.
For more information about the tournament, including match results head to the Gamers8 website.
Stay Tuned!
Following two weeks of electrifying Street Fighter action, some competitors are taking a break to prepare for upcoming Capcom Pro Tour events, while others are gearing up for the VSFighting XI competition in Birmingham from August 18th to 20th.
With Rocket League, PUBG and other tournaments left to take place make sure to stay tuned as we keep you updated on all the news and results.
